Happenstance
by Storm63
Summary: Nick/OC: When Nick and Warrick go to ask a woman to identify her dead sister's body, they didn't count on the woman being from Texas...nor did they count on someone trying to plow through the front of her house.
1. Meeting Mandy

I'm attempting another CSI story. The last one I had never got published because, if I'll be completely honest, it sucked. I hope this one turns out better, I'd like to think it will. I will try desperately to **not** make this a Mary-Sue type situation but I can't be a hundred percent if it will stay that way. Hope ya'll enjoy this.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing but my OCs. All others mentioned are property of either themselves or Jerry Bruckheimer. I just borrowed them to play with.

_Amanda "Mandy" Pratchett (V.M.D)|29|Light Brown Hair|Blue Eyes|Texas A&M University: Veterinary Science Degree (V.M.D.) - major; wildlife & fisheries science - minor|Hometown: Houston, TX|5'10"|1 sister: Stephanie aka Staffi Pratchett| 32| Blonde| Blue Eyes|5'11"|Photographer/Model| Married to: Benjamin Donaldson| 35| black hair| brown eyes| Agent/Owner of his own talent agency| 6'4"; 1 brother: Lucas aka Damien Pratchett|24| Brunette| Blue Eyes| 6'3"|in prison: murder (framed) - serving life sentence in prison in Beaumont, TX]|Owns practice 3 miles off the strip (opens second practice in Henderson)|Takes place between season 2 and 3_

**Happenstance**

"Man, Warrick, this part is difficult every time."

"I know but we have to, Nick." Nick sighed and walked up the house's front door, knocking once he was close enough. He waited a few minutes before the door opened, revealing a woman with light brown hair wearing glasses. Warrick looked over at Nick, who looked frozen with some sort of emotion. "Ma'am, are you Amanda Pratchett?" The woman shifted her weight, propping herself up against the door frame.

"I am." Nick felt a chill down his spine when he heard the thick Southern accent in the woman's voice. "May I ask who is asking?"

"Um, my name is Warrick Brown and this is Nick Stokes. We're with the Las Vegas Crime Lab." Nick nodded and smiled, feeling very nervous around this woman. "Do you know this woman?" Warrick showed her a picture of a blonde woman on a slab, a dead woman. Amanda took a deep breath, staggered and put her hand over her mouth in shock.

"That's…my sister, Staffi." Warrick looked at Nick in confusion but Nick wasn't paying any attention to Warrick.

"Here name is Stephanie, Amanda." Amanda shook her head.

"She changed her name about a year ago. Stephanie was her birth name but she preferred Staffi because it was 'more artistic'. I guess it didn't go through the database yet. Would ya'll like to come in?" Warrick nodded and nudged Nick inside, following him once he was inside. "Do you fellas need anything?" Warrick shook his head and so did Nick. "I know you're still investigating but could you tell me what happened to her?" Warrick went to answer her but Nick stopped him.

"Amanda, if you don't me asking, where are you from? That accent is distinctly Southern."

"Much likes yours, Mr. Stokes?" Nick looked down, feeling his cheeks flush in embarrassment. "I'm from Houston, Mr. Stokes, and I gather that you are also from Texas."

Nick smiled. "I'm from Austin, Ms. Pratchett."

"Ya'll can call me Mandy, if you'd like. Everyone else does." Warrick nodded.

"We can't get into details about an open case but we do know that she was beaten and then shot." Amanda nodded and wiped away tears. "We're very sorry about your loss, Ama-Mandy." Mandy looked up at Nick, nodding. "Is there anyone else we can notify about her death?" Mandy nodded, grabbed her phone and a pad of paper.

"Her husband will want to know about it. His name is Benjamin Donaldson; he's the owner of his own talent agency. It's how the two of them met, actually." Warrick looked at Nick in confusion. Nick turned to Amanda, ready to ask a question but she beat him to it. "Staffi was a model and a photographer. Benjamin overlooked one of her photo shoots and she swears that it was love at first sight."

"You don't believe that?"

"My sister has a tendency to date jerks who only date her because she's hot. Benjamin is no different, I don't care what he says." Nick looked at Warrick. "That sounded rude but I don't care. The feeling is mutual, to be completely honest. He's not a fan of me, either."

"Do you know where your brother-in law is, Mandy?"

"On business, probably. I don't ask many questions when it comes to Ben, but I have his number if you'd like it."

"That will help, thank you." Mandy nodded, wrote down Ben's number and handed it to Warrick. "Anyone else, Amanda? Like your parents or any other siblings or even friends of your sister."

"Our parents are dead; they died about six years ago, which is when the two of us ultimately drifted. Our relationship was strained after my brother went to prison but their death was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"Your brother is in prison?"

"Yes. They say he killed his business partner but I know he didn't do it. He was framed and unfortunately, no lawyer can prove that…at least not in Texas anyway." Mandy shifted in her seat.

"Would you like us to notify him?"

"No. I'm heading back there this weekend so I'll make sure to tell him." Nick furrowed his brow in confusion. "This weekend is my mother's birthday so I go back home to," Mandy shifted again. "Visit. Anything else you gentlemen need?"

"Is there anyone that would want to hurt your sister?"

"Not that I know of." Warrick's phone went off and he excused himself from Mandy's living room.

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents, Mandy."

"It's been six years, Mr-"

"Call me Nick, please." Mandy smiled and shifted in her seat again.

"Well, Nick, it's been six years so it's less painful than before."

"So what made you move to Las Vegas?"

"It seemed to be a place where everyone can start fresh and my parents loved it so much so I figured I would see what they liked about it. I came here, started working at a zoo before I opened my own practice."

"Your own practice?"

"I'm a veterinarian, Nick."

"Oh. Should I be calling you doctor, then?" Mandy laughed.

"Mandy will do fine, Nick."

"Where is your practice, Mandy?"

"About three miles off the strip." Mandy's phone started to buzz so she excused herself and answered her phone. Nick stood up from the chair when he heard what sounded like a revving engine. Nick turned and looked out the window, his eyes widening when he saw a Ford F-350 in Mandy's driveway with it's tires spinning.

"Uh, Mandy?"

"Yes, Nick?"

"Are you expecting anyone driving a Ford F-350?"

"No. I don't even know anyone who drives one of those. Why?" Nick walked over to Mandy.

"Because there is one in your driveway right now." Mandy hung up her phone and looked in her driveway, obviously confused at the mystery truck in her driveway. Nick looked to see where Warrick was, taking his attention off the truck. In a split second, the truck went from spinning its tires to flooring it towards Mandy's house. Nick turned his head just in enough time to realize that the truck was on a crash course with Mandy's house. "Mandy!" Mandy turned to see Nick pushing her onto the floor, just as the F-350 plowed through the front of her house. Nick jumped up, drew his weapon and aimed it at the driver's window. "LVPD! Put your hands up!" Nick approached the window to find the driver slumped over the wheel with blood coming from his head. Nick checked his pulse; the driver was dead.

"Nick?" Warrick popped his head out from behind the wall with his gun drawn. "Everything okay in here?"

"I don't know where this guy came from, Warrick. He just plowed into the front of the house. I checked his pulse and he's dead." Nick holstered his weapon and went to check on Mandy. "Are you alright, Mandy?" He helped her up, brushing the broken glass and wood off her shoulders.

"I think I'm okay." She went to stand up but quickly dropped to her knees again.

"Mandy, what's wrong?" She looked at her hands and noticed the cuts on her palms. "Oh geez. Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Yeah, it's in the kitchen." Nick quickly helped Mandy to the kitchen and propped her up against the counter. "Cabinet on the bottom, closest to the fridge." Nick nodded, opened the cabinet and found the first aid kit. He opened the kit and quickly started to take care of Mandy's cuts on her hands. He looked at Mandy's face and saw the rather large cut on her forehead.

"Oh man, that's a pretty big cut." Mandy looked at Nick, unsure of what he was talking about. She watched as he put peroxide on a gauze pad and went towards her forehead. She jumped at the pain but Nick gently held her down. "I'm sorry. I don't want it to get infected."

"It's alright, Nick. It…hurts." She hissed at the pain from the peroxide. Nick placed a gauze pad and band-aid on her cut.

"There. That should help until the paramedics can take a proper look at it." Nick felt something stir inside of him when Mandy looked at him with her blue eyes.

"Hey Nick. You okay man?" Nick cleared his throat and turned his attention to Warrick.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Did you call it in?"

"Yeah. Brass and the team are on their way now." Nick nodded and turned his attention back to Mandy. Warrick walked up to Mandy and scanned over her, keeping an eye on the way Nick looked at her the entire time. Warrick smiled to himself. Nick was due for some good lovin' and Warrick had that feeling that Mandy would be the right girl to give it to him.

**-FIN-**

I hope that wasn't too much for a first chapter. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Reviews are appreciated. : )


	2. For Nick's Sake

Welcome back for chapter two. Hope you enjoyed it and I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing but my OCs. All others mentioned are property of either themselves or Jerry Bruckheimer. I just borrowed them to play with.

_Recap: Nick and Warrick paid a visit to Amanda Pratchett, the sister of their victim, and she invited them to try to find out as much as she could about her sister's death. As Warrick excused himself with a phone call, Nick took it upon himself to learn more about this Texan woman. While the two were talking, Nick realized that there was a Ford F-350 spinning its tires in Mandy's driveway. The truck plowed through the front of Mandy's house and Nick dove to keep Mandy safe. After making sure she was okay, Nick checked on the driver only to find him dead. Nick patched Mandy up and Warrick could tell there was a spark between them, and he hoped that Mandy would be the girl to treat Nick the way he should be treated._

**Happenstance**

Nick and Warrick waited patiently for the rest of them team to get there while Mandy decided to get some of her filing done. Nick had assured her that it was alright and that she wouldn't be hindering their investigation any if she did. Warrick pulled Nick aside, out of Mandy's earshot. "You okay, Nick?"

"Yeah, Warrick. Why do you ask?"

"You seem jumpy for some reason, especially around Mandy. It's like you want to-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Warrick." Nick glared at Warrick but turned around in hopes to keep his emotions hidden. Warrick just laughed and turned Nick around.

"I don't blame you, Nick, I really don't. She's got 'your type' written all over her." Nick shook his head and turned his gaze away from Warrick.

"That wouldn't be right, man. I mean, she just lost her sister and we're going to have to take her into questioning later on down the road." Warrick nodded but he was still convinced that these two Texans belonged together. Their team arrived shortly after Warrick and Nick had their conversation, and Grissom had serious questions that needed answers. Grissom pulled Nick and Warrick aside while the police officer started to ask Mandy some questions.

"What happened here, guys?" Nick decided to speak up, seeing as he was more of a witness than Warrick was.

"Well, Grissom, we came here to-"

"I know what you came here for, Nick. I meant with the truck in the front of the house." Nick's mouth made that 'oh' face and he nodded.

"Well, I was talking to Mandy and I noticed that there was a truck outside, revving it's engine and spinning tires. I asked her if she knew anyone with that model of truck and she said she didn't know anyone with a truck like that. Next thing I know, the truck is coming at us and I got us both to cover before he plowed into the front of the house."

"Was he dead on impact?"

"I checked his vitals, Grissom. He was dead." Grissom nodded and turned to the coroner.

"Do we have an ID on him yet?" The coroner shook his head. Grissom turned back to Nick and Warrick. "Would she know who he was?"

"We didn't ask her."

"Let's do that now." Grissom walked over to Mandy with Nick and Warrick in tow. "Ms. Pratchett?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Gil Grissom, I'm with the Crime Lab. Do you have any idea who is behind the wheel of the truck?" Mandy shook her head. "Have you looked at him?"

"Yes. The coroner called me over but I couldn't recognize him." Grissom nodded and scanned over Mandy, taking notice of the bandages that Nick had placed on her wounds.

"What happened to your hands and head?"

"It's when I fell after Mr. Stokes got me out of the way of the truck. The paramedics looked at them already." Grissom nodded.

"I know you've been through a lot, Ms. Pratchett, but we're going to need to process your living room as a crime scene and I'm afraid you can't be here while we do that. Is there anywhere you can go?" Without thinking, Nick stepped forward.

"You can stay with me if you'd like, Mandy." Mandy shifted and tried to fight back a smile.

"I couldn't ask that of you, Nick."

"I insist." Mandy just shrugged with a smile forming on her face.

"It's settled, then." Grissom just nodded, but he knew he'd have to have a word with Nick about this later. Nick fought to hold back his smile but failed to do so as he continued to look at Mandy. "Is it okay if I get some stuff together, Mr. Grissom?"

"Certainly. You should take Nick with you in case you come across something we should know about." Mandy nodded and went into her bedroom with Nick behind her. Warrick watched the two walk away and looked at Grissom.

"You don't approve of Nick letting Mandy stay with him, do you?"

"Personally, I have no problems with it. Professionally, it might cause some raised eyebrows with Nick having a suspect live with him. I just hope he knows what he's doing."

"Grissom, I know we're not supposed to get ahead of ourselves with our cases but I don't think that Mandy had anything to do with her sister's death."

"Let's hope for Nick's sake that you're right."

**-FIN-**

That's it for this chapter. Hope ya'll enjoyed it. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Reviews are appreciated. : )


	3. Trying To Solve The Case

Welcome back for chapter three. I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing but my OCs. All others mentioned are property of either themselves or Jerry Bruckheimer. I just borrowed them to play with.

_Recap: Grissom shows up at Amanda's house to process the crime scene and figure out exactly what happened in the house. Grissom asks Mandy if she had any place to stay and before she could answer, Nick offers his own house to her. She declines but when Nick insisted on it, she didn't have a choice. Warrick tells Grissom that he doesn't think Mandy has anything to do with her sister's death. Grissom tells him that he hopes she doesn't, for Nick's sake.  
><em>

**Happenstance**

Nick followed Mandy to her bedroom and watched as she collected some clothes. Mandy packed her bag and faced Nick, telling him that she was ready. "Okay, follow me." Mandy followed Nick out of the house to a squad car. "We might need to question you again, Mandy."

"At least you'd know where to find me." Mandy went to get into the squad car but stopped. "Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"There is a picture of my family that was in the living room. If you find it..."

"I'll get it to you. I promise." Mandy smiled at Nick and hopped into the squad car. Nick watched the car drive away and he felt kind of pained to see Mandy leave. Nick shook off his negative emotions and focused on the crime scene at hand. Nick and Warrick processed the truck, finding the ID of the driver on the floor where his feet were. "I've got an ID, Warrick."

"What did you find, Nick?"

"I've got a Derek Montgomery from Wisconsin. I wonder why he came all this way to plow into the front of Mandy's house." Warrick shrugged and continued to look through the truck for something more probative. Warrick saw something catch the light on the dashboard so he tilted his head at it, trying to figure out a way to get to whatever it was. "Got something, Warrick?"

"I might." He reached into the truck and pulled out a charred cell phone. "I've got a cell phone. Hopefully the memory is still intact and we can get Archie to look at it for us." Nick nodded and helped Warrick put the charred cell phone into an evidence bag. Warrick tried to open the glove box but found it to be jammed. "Hey Nick, you got a screw driver?"

"Yeah. Here." Nick handed Warrick a screw driver and Warrick popped the glove box open. "Find anything?"

"A couple of envelopes and...whoa." Warrick pulled out a huge wad of cash, what looked to be $100,000. "That's a lot of dough for someone from Wisconsin."

"How much do you think?"

"A hundred G's, it looks like." Nick handed Warrick an evidence bag and watched as his co-worker put all the money in the bag. Nick and Warrick continued to collect what evidence they could out of the truck and then called a tow truck to get the truck back to the garage at the lab. Warrick and Nick continued their search for any evidence of anything other than a man plowing through the front of a woman's house. The two CSIs headed back to the lab to not only process their evidence but to also try to figure out why someone from Wisconsin would plow into Amanda Pratchett's front room. Nick and Warrick split up with Nick doing more background on the victim while Warrick went to continue processing the truck.

"Hey, Nick."

"Oh hey Catherine."

"How's this new case of yours?"

"Confusing, to say the least."

"How come?"

"I don't know why someone from Wisconsin would plow into our victim's sister's front room."

"That is confusing." Nick made a face.

"Thanks, Cath. That's a lot of help." Catherine pat Nick on the back and the two of them left the break room, going their separate ways to their respective cases. Nick walked past Grissom and stopped him before he could get to his office. "Hey, Grissom?"

"Yes, Nick?"

"Do you think I should ask Amanda Pratchett if she knew the victim?"

"I thought she said she couldn't recognize him."

"Probably not a mangled face but she might know the name."

"Good point. What is his name?"

"Derek Montgomery from Wisconsin."

"He's a long way from home."

"Yeah and we still don't have an explanation as to why he plowed into Mandy's house."

"Go talk to Mandy. We have more questions than answers and she might be the one who can help." Nick nodded and headed to his car, driving to his house to talk to Mandy. He pulled in the driveway, shut off his car and headed inside. He unlocked his door and saw Mandy sitting on his couch, staring at the TV which wasn't even on.

"Mandy?" She turned around and smiled at Nick.

"Hey, Nick. Need something?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you knew the victim. We got an ID off of him."

"Who was he?"

"Derek Montgomery from Wisconsin." Mandy's mouth dropped and Nick quickly joined her on his couch. "Do you know him?"

"He's a business partner of my brother-in-law's. The two of them told each other everything and I knew they had something shady going on behind the front of their talent agency. Hell, he's probably why Stephanie is dead."

"What makes you say that?"

"Benjamin and Stephanie took out life insurance policies on one another, with each other as the beneficiaries." Nick furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Worth how much?" Mandy looked around, obviously mentally searching for the answer.

"I think the one Stephanie took out on Benjamin was $250,000 and the one he took out on her was $750,000."

"Why was hers more?"

"She worked for him. He frequently called her 'his asset'. He felt as if she was just another girl that worked for him and therefore, was worth money to him. He takes care of his girls because he doesn't want to be promoting 'damaged goods.' Nick scoffed. "I wish I was exaggerating, Nick, but that's the way he talks about his girls. He's a pig."

"Amen."

**-FIN-**

That's it for this chapter. Hope ya'll enjoyed it. Sorry for the long wait. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Reviews are appreciated. : )


	4. Talking With Mandy

Welcome back for chapter four. I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing but my OCs. All others mentioned are property of either themselves and those who created CSI. I just borrowed them to play with.

**Happenstance**

"So you knew the man who drove into your living room?"

"I knew of him but I didn't really want to get to know him. Lord knows he tried to fix himself up with me but I wasn't having any part of it." Nick couldn't hide his small smirk when he heard the Southern twang in Mandy's voice.

"What can you tell me about him?"

"My brother-in-law ran into him on a 'business trip' to Las Vegas and in true fashion to himself, my brother-in-law started rambling on about these smoking hot girls that are around him all the time and all he had to do was open a modeling agency. He's a pig and he found himself another pig to help him 'find new talent'."

"Find new talent?"

"They went to bars and picked up women, feeding them the idea of a successful modeling career and those stupid girls fell for it."

"That's awful."

"Worst part of it is that while these girls were waiting for their modeling career to take off, my brother-in-law and his partner would do disgusting things to them."

"Such as?" Mandy looked away from Nick, trying to keep her emotions in check but that wasn't fooling Nick. "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I will tell you. I just have to keep my temper down, is all." Mandy took a deep breath and faced Nick again. "The two of them would make amateur porn with the girls they 'signed'." The look on Nick's face was a mixture of disbelief and disgust. "Those girls won't admit to anything so trying to arrest them, or my brother-in-law since his partner is dead, is a waste of time."

"Why won't they admit to being sexually assaulted?"

"They deeply believe that they're going to make it in the modeling world and are willing to do anything to get there. They believe my brother-in-law and they wouldn't do anything that would be considered an act against him."

"I've noticed you don't call your brother-in-law by his name. Why?"

"It would make it sound as if I cared about him and I don't. Referring to him as my brother-in-law makes him seem further away and I like it that way."

"I can understand that." Mandy ran her fingers through her hair and Nick noticed a ring on her right hand. "Mandy?"

"Yes, Nick?"

"What's that ring on your finger? If you don't mind me asking, that is." Mandy smiled at Nick and he had ignore that butterflies in his stomach.

"It's a college ring." Mandy showed Nick her hands and Nick noticed two more rings on her hands, one on her right thumb and one on her left middle finger. "The one on my thumb was a present from my mother and the one on my middle finger was a ring my brother got me for opening my first veterinary practice."

"How did he manage that from prison?"

"The warden pulled some strings for him because he has never acted up in prison. I think he's the only one that hadn't instigated a fight but I may be wrong."

"He's certainly well-behaved for a prisoner." Mandy glared at Nick and Nick's gaze hit the floor. "My apologies. That came out the wrong way."

"I understand where you're coming from but as I've said before, my brother was wrongfully thrown in prison."

"Have you ever tried to fight it?" Mandy scoffed and stood up, walking towards the window.

"Of course I have but there isn't a lawyer in Texas that will take the case. They seem to think it was a slam dunk case against him and that he's right where he should be." Nick noticed the anger and hurt in Mandy's voice so he stood up to join her at the window. He gently placed his arm on her shoulder and he was shocked when Mandy buried her head in his chest. Nick was taken back for a moment but ultimately wrapped his arms around Mandy as she began to quietly sob into his chest. Nick didn't know what to do; it wasn't often that he had a woman crying in his arms.

**-FIN-**

That's it for this chapter. Hope ya'll enjoyed it. Sorry for the long wait. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Reviews are appreciated. : )


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